Henodus

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Henodus Fossil range: Late Triassic
Conservation status
Extinct (fossil)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Superorder: Sauropterygia Order: Placodontia Family: Henodontidae von Huene, 1936 Genus: Henodus
Binomial name
Henodus chelyops von Huene, 1936

Henodus chelyops ("Turtle-Faced Single Tooth") was a placodont of the Late Triassic period during the Carnian stage.

Henodus was the placodont that superficially most resembled a turtle. Like turtles, it had a plastron on the underside and a carapace on top. The carapace extended well beyond the limbs, and was made up of individual plates of armor. The armor was fused to its spine, and its limbs were situated in normal positions, unlike the turtle, where they are located inside the ribcage. The weak limbs of Henodus suggest it spent little time on land.

Henodus chelyops also had two teeth--one on each side of its mouth, though the remaining teeth were replaced by a beak. These teeth were flat to crush bottom dwelling shellfish. The head was squared-off at the front, just ahead of the eyes. Worthy of note is that Henodus is the only placodont thus far found in non-marine deposits, suggesting it may have lived in brackish or freshwater lagoons.

Fossils of Henodus chelyops were found in Tübingen, Germany.

[edit] References

National Geographic December 2005 pp 79 by Virginia Morrell

Dixon, Dougal. "The Complete Book of Dinosaurs." Hermes House, 2006.